Discussion guide
a film By Brett Morgen
the convention was drama. the trial was comedy.
Remember Chicago, 1968? Tens of thousands of anti-war protesters stormed the Democratic
convention, setting off a chain of explosive and violent confrontations with the police. Well, now
history has a new look. Bold and original animation recreate the wild antics of the infamous
Chicago Conspiracy Trial, and archival footage and a powerful soundtrack will take you back to
the streets of Chicago during that unforgettable summer.
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chicago 10
From the Filmmaker
I was initially drawn to this subject matter for both political and
cinematic reasons. I wanted to make a film that would remind people
about the importance of exercising one’s constitutional rights. I found
my source of inspiration in the story of the Chicago Conspiracy
Trial and the 1968 Democratic Convention. I have long admired the
courage and resilience of both the protestors and the defendants. I
wanted to make a film that celebrated their actions and allow a new
generation to witness a story about how far people will go to have
their voices heard. The events in Chicago happened nearly 40 years
ago, which basically suggests that most Americans under the age of
50 have never seen these images. My goal from the beginning has
been to reintroduce this chapter of recent history to a new generation,
for they are the ones who will hopefully benefit the most from this
story.
The challenge was to make a film about the ‘60s that would appeal to
a contemporary audience. Most historical non-fiction is presented as
memoir or as a recollection. I like the idea of allowing the audience to
experience events as they unfold. This means eschewing talking head
interviews and omniscient narration. I think it is important too, when
dealing with subjects like Abbie Hoffman, to reveal them as they
were seen at the heights of their fame, to preserve the integrity of
their youth.
I also didn’t want to make a film that read like Cliffs Notes to an era.
With eight defendants representing three political organizations and a
political convention with three candidates, set against one of the most
complicated political landscapes in recent history, my biggest fear was
overwhelming young audiences with a bunch of names and faces that
they had never heard of. At the same time, I didn’t want to trivialize the
era by giving passing mention to some weighty issues. I knew that this
would be somewhat controversial, but once I decided to free myself
from the chains of history, I felt that I could make the movie I wanted
to make.
As I did my research for the film, I became increasingly inspired by
the work of Abbie Hoffman and the Yippies. What I most admired was
their sense of theatrics and their ability to expose injustice through
humor and charm. I felt that their approach to politics and sense
of imagery would resonate with people today. Although the issues
that my film deals with are quite serious, I never wanted the film to
become too earnest. I wanted the film to have a sense of humor and
playfulness while at the same time expose the brutality and violence of
the courtroom and Convention week.
When I started this project I knew that I wanted to interweave the
events in the courtroom with the events a year earlier. For the longest
time I couldn’t figure out how to deal with the trial as there was no
footage of the proceedings. I knew that I wanted the audience to
“experience” the courtroom rather than hear about it, so that ruled
out talking head “eyewitness” interviews. Since I was going to be
intercutting between archival material and the courtroom material I
knew that the characters needed to look nearly identical, which in
essence ruled out dramatic re-enactments with actors in costume.
Then one day I read a quote from Jerry Rubin where he described
the trial as “a cartoon show.” It was so obvious. By animating the trial
I would not only avoid all of the clichés of historical non-fiction, but I
would also be able to make a statement about the circus-like nature
of that courtroom.
Ultimately I tried to make this story universally appealing. By shedding
the layers of historical context and focusing the narrative on the
characters’ battles with authority, I feel I was able to craft a story about
courage and honor and the refusal to be silenced, themes that I hope
will resonate with a broad audience.
Brett Morgen
Brett Morgen (Director / Writer / Producer) of CHICAGO 10. Photo: Myles Aronowitz / ITVS
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
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San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415.356.8383
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chicago 10
The Film
With a unique mix of animation and archival footage, CHICAGO 10
tells the story of the architects of the demonstrations in Chicago
during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and the events
leading to their indictment and trial a year later. Although they were
known as the Chicago Eight, the title acknowledges the addition of
two of the defense attorneys, who were indicted for contempt of court
and also given jail sentences. The trial of the Chicago Eight provides
the framework for recounting what happened in the streets of Chicago
during the tumultuous days of August 26-29, 1968, as well as
illustrating the styles and beliefs of the defendants.
The Chicago Eight were comprised of leaders of the two main
organizations spearheading the opposition to the Vietnam War. The
National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE)
was led by David Dellinger and took a somewhat structured, political
approach in its anti-war efforts. The Youth International Party, or Yippie,
was a reflection of Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, its free-wheeling
leaders, relying on street theater, humor, and outrageous (and often
off-color) speech to make its points. Both organizations claimed to be
nonviolent, and in 1968 they made joint plans to assemble peacefully
in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention.
Department, the convention began in a city full of tension, braced
for large, and possibly violent, demonstrations by anti-war groups.
In this highly-charged atmosphere, crowds got out of hand, police
used brutal tactics when their orders were ignored, and hundreds
of demonstrators were arrested. The leaders of MOBE and Yippie
were indicted for conspiracy and inciting riots and went on trial in
September 1969.
The film moves seamlessly between animation and live footage.
Scenes capturing the unruly atmosphere in Judge Julius Hoffman’s
courtroom (taken directly from official transcripts) are intercut with
archival footage of the clashes between police and protesters that
shook the city a year earlier. The film goes back and forth in time,
in and out of the courtroom, showing the defendants holding press
conferences, giving speeches and traveling around the country to raise
money for their defense.
The outcome of the trial resulted in jail sentences for all of the
defendants. At the film’s end, a defiant-sounding Jerry Rubin, soon to
be in prison, addresses a college audience, leaving the next steps in
the protest movement in their hands.
When the Democrats met in the Windy City, however, conditions were
anything but peaceful. Following close on the heels of the riots in
April after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when Mayor
Daley gave “shoot to kill” orders to the Chicago Police
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Jerry Rubin. Photo: Roadside Attractions / ITVS
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Selected individuals featured
in CHICAGO 10
Abbie Hoffman (1936-1989) – co-founder of the Youth International
Party; began his activist career in the civil rights movement in the early
1960s working with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC) in the South; became a fugitive from law for dealing cocaine
and had plastic surgery in 1974 to conceal his identity. Continued his
activist work through the 1980s.
David Dellinger (1915-2004) – chairman of the Mobilization
Committee to End the War in Vietnam and the oldest of the Chicago
Eight; as a seminary student with a commitment to pacifist values, he
was jailed during World War II for refusing to register for the draft.
Continued his activist work for the rest of his life.
Jerry Rubin (1938-1994) – co-founder of the Youth International
Party; active in a variety of radical/liberal causes, including the Free
Speech Movement. Became a businessman and worked on Wall Street
in the 1980s.
Tom Hayden (b. 1939) – co-founder of Students for a Democratic
Society (SDS); drafted the Port Huron Statement, expressing the
idealism of the New Left; married (and divorced) actress Jane Fonda;
served in the California state assembly and senate and was a delegate
to the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Rennie Davis (b. 1941) – program organizer for Students for a
Democratic Society (SDS); did most of the organizing of activities
for Convention week. Became a venture capitalist and lecturer on
meditation and self-awareness.
Thomas Foran (1924-2000) – chief prosecutor in the Chicago
Eight trial; friend of both Robert Kennedy and Richard Daley; had a
reputation as a tough fighter of organized crime. Continued a private
law practice serving numerous corporate clients through the 1990s.
Julius Hoffman (1896-1983) – presiding judge in the trial of the
Chicago Eight and a former law partner of Richard Daley. He was
seen as using every tactic possible to undermine their case. Seventh
Circuit Court of Appeals later scolded Judge Hoffman and reversed all
the defendants’ convictions.
Richard J. Daley (1902-1976) – the last “big boss” of Chicago,
served as mayor from 1955 to1976; known for his heavy-handed
ways and tolerance of corruption. Proud to host the 1968 Democratic
convention, but police brutality witnessed by the nation turned that
honor into a black eye for the city of Chicago. Father of Richard M.
Daley, current mayor of Chicago.
Norman Mailer (1923-2007) – novelist and journalist; two-time
Pulitzer Prize winner; founding co-publisher of The Village Voice;
became involved in anti-war activism in the 1960s.
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) – poet and father of the Beat
generation; wrote poems embracing taboo topics such as drug use
and homosexuality; a central figure in youth rebellion movements in
the 1960s; coined the term “flower power” and encouraged protesters
to be nonviolent.
Lee Weiner – a teaching assistant in sociology at Northwestern
University at the time of the trial, he remained apart from the other
defendants’ activities and defense strategy sessions; continued to
work for various causes, including the B’Nai B’rith Anti-Defamation
League and funding for AIDS research.
John Froines (b. 1941) – at Yale in 1964, served as chair of Students
for Johnson; joined the SDS and later founded the Radical Science
Information Service. A chemist by training, he became a professor in
the UCLA School of Public Health in 1981 after serving in the Carter
Administration as OSHA’s Director of Toxic Substances.
Bobby Seale (b. 1936) – co-founded the Black Panther Party with
Huey Newton in 1966; gave highly inflammatory speeches, including
one in Grant Park during the 1968 Democratic convention. Worked
as a jazz drummer, sheet metal mechanic, and a comedian before his
involvement in black radical politics. Currently has a web site devoted
to Black Panther history and his own barbecue cookbooks.
William Kunstler (1919-1995) – lead defense attorney for the
Chicago Eight and director of the ACLU, 1964-1972. Defended
numerous controversial clients including H. Rap Brown, Lenny Bruce,
Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Martin Luther King, Jr., and suspected
Islamic terrorists.
Courtroom of the 1968 conspiracy trial. Photo: Roadside Attractions / ITVS
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
651 brannan Street, suite 410
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1968—A Year of National Turmoil
The 1968 Democratic National Convention took place during a
year of spectacular and wrenching events. In January the Vietcong
and North Vietnamese forces staged the Tet Offensive, a series of
attacks on scores of cities and towns in South Vietnam. The attacks
took American forces and their South Vietnamese allies by surprise
and became a turning point in public opinion of the Vietnam War.
Americans had been led to believe that the United States was winning
the war, but the Tet Offensive—brief though its success was—demonstrated the strength and determination of the North Vietnamese and
shattered Americans’ hopes for an early end to the fighting. President
Johnson’s call for a doubling of the draft numbers only added fuel to
the growing anti-war sentiment, and his popularity plunged.
On March 31, Johnson announced to a stunned nation that he would
not seek another term as president. Four days later, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led to riots in cities across the
country, including Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and
Chicago. In early June, Robert Kennedy, brother of slain president
John F. Kennedy and a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, was shot and killed on the night of his victory in the
California primary.
By the time the Democrats met in Chicago to choose their candidate
for president, the country had been rocked by this string of conflicts
and tragedies and was now facing a potentially tumultuous week.
Rumors flew about just what the demonstrators coming to Chicago
might be planning—putting LSD in the water supply, public nudity, and
disrupting the convention– and Mayor Richard Daley was taking no
chances. He ordered the police out in full force, along with the Army
and National Guard. Altogether, there were 12,000 police officers
working twelve-hour shifts, 7,500 U.S. Army troops, and 6,000 National
Guardsmen charged with maintaining order on the streets of the city—
a force larger than that commanded by George Washington.
Provocations by both police and protesters led to violent clashes
between the two groups, with many injuries, but no fatalities. The convention nominated Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson’s vice president,
to be the Democratic candidate for president. In November, Richard
Nixon narrowly defeated Humphrey, but the Chicago events turned out
to be the leading edge of a wave of massive, and sometimes violent,
anti-war protests, which continued for several more years.
Chronology
May 1967 – founding of MOBE (National Mobilization Committee to
End the War in Vietnam)
Dec. 31, 1967 – founding of Yippie (Youth International Party)
January 31, 1968 – beginning of Tet Offensive in South Vietnam
March 31, 1968 – Lyndon Johnson announces he will not seek
another term as President
April 4, 1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated in Memphis,
Tennessee
June 5, 1968 – Robert F. Kennedy shot in Los Angeles, after winning
the California Democratic primary election
August 26 – 29, 1968 – Democratic National Convention, Chicago
November 5, 1968 – Richard Nixon defeats Hubert Humphrey
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December 1968 – National Commission on the Causes and
Prevention of Violence, known as the Walker Report, called the events
of Chicago 1968 a “police riot”.
March 1969 – grand jury indicts Chicago Eight
September 24, 1969 – trial of Chicago Eight begins
November 5, 1969 – Judge Julius Hoffman separates Bobby Seale
from the trial and sentences him to four years in prison on contempt
charges
February 18, 1970 – verdict announced in trial of Chicago Seven
May 1971 - Bobby Seale’s sentence overturned and charges dropped
May 1972 – contempt convictions of Chicago Seven reversed
November 1972 – “anti-riot act” convictions of Davis, Dellinger,
Hayden, Hoffman and Rubin reversed
Trial of the Chicago Eight – September 24, 1969 to
February 18, 1970.
Presiding judge: Julius Hoffman
Prosecuting attorneys: Thomas Foran and Richard Schultz
Defense attorneys: William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass
Defendants: Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, John Froines, Tom Hayden,
Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Lee Weiner, Bobby Seale
Jury: Mostly middle aged and middle class; two white men, ten women
(two black, eight white)
The charges: Against seven of the defendants (all but Bobby Seale)
- Conspiracy to incite a riot, involving the crossing of state lines to
implement the conspiracy; intent to create incendiary devices to be
used during civil disorders; and obstructing firemen and police officers
from carrying out their duties during civil disorders.
Against Bobby Seale – crossing state lines for the purpose of encouraging a riot.
Basis for the charges: The Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title 18
(sometimes referred to as the “anti-riot act”), which makes it a felony
to “travel in interstate commerce… with the intent to incite, promote,
encourage, participate and carry on a riot…”
The verdict: John Froines and Lee Weiner were acquitted of all
charges; the other five defendants (all but Bobby Seale) were found
guilty of crossing state lines with the intent to incite a riot, but were
acquitted of the conspiracy charges.
Bobby Seale, one of the original Chicago Eight defendants charged
with inciting to riot, had only been in Chicago for about two days during the Democratic convention. He came at the last minute to fill in
for Eldridge Cleaver, another Black Panther leader who had to cancel
his speaking engagement. Seale had not participated in any of the
advance planning and was most likely added because of his highly
inflammatory speeches in which he advocated violent actions. During
the trial, one of Seale's many outbursts led the judge to have him
bound and gagged. Judge Hoffman eventually severed Seale from the
case and sentenced him to four years in prison for contempt because
of his outbursts. Thus, the Chicago Eight became the Chicago Seven.
Charges against the police
Eight Chicago police officers were charged with violating the civil
rights of demonstrators. Charges against one officer were dropped;
the other seven were acquitted.
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THINKING MORE DEEPLY
1. What emotions did you feel as you watched the film? Did you find
your sympathies moving toward one side or the other at different
times? Explain.
2. Voting is considered by many to be the most powerful tool citizens
can use to bring about change. Do you agree with that sentiment?
Why or why not? How can the voting process be strengthened in the
U.S.?
3. Why did the anti-war groups focus their efforts solely on the
Democratic National Convention? Do you think their actions also
should have targeted the Republicans?
4. What were the goals of the anti-war demonstrators? Does the film
make those goals clear? Do you think the demonstrators’ actions were
appropriate for achieving their goals?
5. Where do you think the filmmaker’s sympathies lie in this film? Give
a specific example to support your opinion.
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6. Do you think the city of Chicago’s denial of a permit to march was a
violation of the protesters First Amendment rights? Why or why not?
7. Could demonstrations of the size and intensity of those in Chicago
take place today? Why has sentiment against the war in Iraq not led to
more protest marches and other public anti-war activity?
8. How has the role of the media in American politics changed in
the forty years since 1968? Consider Abbie Hoffman’s belief, as
expressed by Allen Ginsberg, that “politics had become theater and
magic; it uses manipulation of imagery through the mass media, confusing and hypnotizing the people, making them accept a war they
didn’t believe in.” Do you agree with Hoffman?
9. What is your reaction to Jerry Rubin’s question: “Are we going to be
strong enough, brave enough, together enough to survive as a generation and change this country?” Did his generation, that is, those who
engaged in protests in the late 1960s and early 1970s, make any
lasting, substantive changes? Give an example.
10.
“Change” has been the operative word in more than one
political campaign this year. What are some ways to try to bring about
change in American society? Which do you think are most effective?
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SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTION
Together with other audience members, brainstorm actions that you
might take as an individual and that people might do as a group.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
1.Get involved in voter registration drive in your community. Reach out
to potential new voters and encourage them to register and vote.
2.Learn about state and local election laws that can affect who
can vote in the upcoming elections. Start a community education
campaign to inform people about those laws.
3.If you are an attorney, law student or paralegal, volunteer for
Election Protection. See National Campaign for Fair Elections
web site in Resources, under Voter Protection.
4.Get involved in Verified Voting activities, to make sure all votes
are counted. See Verifiedvoting.org in Resources.
5.Help get people to the polls on Election Day. Make sure voters
have proper identification and proof of residence if required by local
election laws.
6.Organize a community forum to educate people about First
Amendment rights and how to exercise them appropriately.
http://www.geocities.com/athens/delphi/1553/c68chron.html – a
detailed and descriptive chronology of political and anti-war events
from 1967-1975.
Activism
http://www.britell.com/text/tgrassroots.html – “Organize to Win: A
Grassroots Activist’s Handbook,” by Jim Britell, is a downloadable
booklet with directions for organizing community campaigns.
http://www.peacemagazine.org/198.htm – List of almost 200 methods of nonviolent action, from The Methods of Nonviolent Action by
Gene Sharp (Boston, 1973).
Voter Protection
http://verifiedvoting.org – Advocates the use of voter-verified paper
ballots for all elections in the U.S.
http://nationalcampaignforfairelections.org – A program of the
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, working for election
reform and to prevent the disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
http://voteprotect.org/?jsc_1 – Home page of the Election Incident
Reporting System (EIRS), and integrated set of computer tools for
recording and analyzing information about voting problems before,
after and during elections.
For additional outreach ideas, visit www.itvs.org, the website of the
Independent Television Service. For local information, check the
website of your PBS station.
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY & ACTION
CHICAGO 10 WILL AIR NATIONALL Y ON THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING PBS
SERIES INDEPENDENT LENS ON October 22, 2008. CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS.
CHICAGO 10 was produced by C7 Films, Inc./Participant Productions, LLC/River
Road Entertainment.
www.takepart.com/chicago10- Information about CHICAGO 10.
Participant Media produces entertainment that inspires and compels
social change.
The Emmy award-winning series Independent Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and
PBS and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) with additional
funding provided by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts.
www.roadsideattractions.com – For more information on purchasing
a copy of CHICAGO 10 on DVD.
www.firstamendmentcenter.org – Provides information on First
Amendment rights and issues for educational purposes.
ITVS COMMUNITY is the national community engagement program of the
Independent Television Service. ITVS COMMUNITY works to leverage the unique
and timely content of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens to
build stronger connections among leading organizations, local communities and
public television stations around key social issues and create more opportunities
for civic engagement and positive social change. To find out more about ITVS
COMMUNITY, visit www.pbs.org/independentlens/getinvolved.
Vietnam-era Events
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_VietnamWar –
Summary of anti-war activities, including an annotated timeline of
protests from 1963-1972.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNtet.htm – Brief description
of the Tet Offensive, with a list of links to websites about the
Vietnam War.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/chicago7.
html – Comprehensive information on the Chicago Seven trial,
including chronology, transcripts, map, biographies, text of the
indictment and more.
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
651 brannan Street, suite 410
San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415.356.8383
email: [email protected]
web: www.pbs.org/independentlens/getinvolved
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